He already owns about 25% of Oracle, a stake worth more than $46 billion at the company’s current share price, so there’s little question that his incentive is to see Oracle do well.

Nor, realistically, is Ellison likely to decamp for a competitor, with so much of his wealth and history tied up in Oracle. He could retire, of course – he is 69 years old, and tech billionaires often retire far younger than that. But again, something more than money presumably keeps him at the office.

By all accounts, Ellison is deeply involved in running Oracle, and most executives get paid something for their efforts. He won more than 95% of shares voted in Oracle’s last board elections, suggesting shareholders value him. And while shareholders did soundly reject an advisory “say on pay” vote over the company’s executive-pay arrangements – with 57% of shares voted against – they even more solidly supported a binding measure to set aside more shares to use as executive pay under the company’s long-term equity incentive plan (66% in favor).

Over the past three years – counting security services and other benefits not included in the direct compensation figure mentioned above – Ellison has brought in $250 million. The company declined to comment.

A number of other big, successful companies have arrived at very different approaches for , of course. Warren Buffett was paid $100,000 at Berkshire Hathaway. Amazon.com CEO Jeff Bezos made $81,800 last year. And a few founder-CEOs were paid essentially nothing at all by their companies in 2013, including Google’s Larry Page.

Oracle’s proxy filing stresses the company rewards Ellison and other executives for improving financial results and the company’s stock price “with an emphasis on our objectives of retaining Ellison’s services and of providing incentives for superior performance.” Ellison turned down a $1.2 million cash bonus he was eligible for last year.

“The Compensation Committee recognizes that Ellison has a significant equity interest in Oracle, but believes he should still be eligible for an annual compensation package because of his active and vital role in our operations, strategy and growth,” the proxy adds.